Valkyrie
by kabukikitsune
Summary: Albus Dumbledore discovers that a friend and former student is being drawn in by Grindlewald's promise of a better Wizard world. Can he stop her before she goes too far, or is it already too late? (resubmitted due to chapter error)
1. Prologue

Albus strode through the Ministry, a look of determination on his face. He was a man on a mission, one of mercy. Such was his intent that most wizards simply ducked out of his path. Few if any had ever seen him like this, and those who had knew better than to cross him. The normally kind face a mask of anger and frustration. Such was his bearing that when he entered the minister's office, the clerk simply stood out of the way.

Leonard looked up from his papers, regarding Dumbldore passively. "You could have knocked." He said dryly before scooting back in his chair, tenting his fingers in front of him.

"Where is she?" Dumbledore said suddenly, casting a glance around the office before looking right at the Minister.

"Where," Leonard drawled, pouring a cup of tea for himself and one for Dumbledore. "is who?"

Albus turned on him, fire in his eyes as he slammed a fist down on the desk, completely upending the teacup. "Don't play dumb with me Hector. You know who I'm talking about." He said through clenched teeth. "Do I have to say it? Fine. Catherine. I know she was here, and I need to see her. I need to stop her before she..."

Leonard paused only long enough to clean up the mess before looking up to Dumbledore. "Stop her before she follows her own path?" As he spoke, he looked up to the taller man and then sighed sadly. "You can't keep protecting her you know. Everyone has to follow their own path Albus. Even she."

Albus sighed at this, finally collapsing in the chair across from the minister. He looked utterly defeated. After a moment, his rage got the better of him, causing him to lash out and strike his thigh. "Damn it." He cursed and then looked up to the Minister. "She doesn't know him. What he's capable of..." Albus said, tears forming in his eyes. "I...I don't want her to make the same mistakes I did." The minister nodded slowly, standing to look out the magical window. "If I was a betting man, I'd say there's more there than just a worry for a former student of yours Albus." He said, not even looking back. "Hell, I suspect that if you were given a chance, you'd be down at the docks trying to prevent her from leaving right now."

Dumbledore's head shot up, and in an instant he was gone. The minister didn't need to tell him twice.

Night had fallen, and the last of the cargo was being loaded. Catherine sighed, watching this impassively. While porkey might be an easier way to travel, it only worked when you knew where you were going. So, she was having to slum it with muggles. Truth be known, that wasn't much of a trouble to her. She'd grown up around them, and from time to time had needed to blend in. A seemingly sixteen year old girl, blonde hair and blue and green eyes, didn't stand out that much. Less considering their destination of Germany.

Taking a last drag from her cigarette, she tossed it off the dock and into the water. Exhaling slowly, she looked up to the old steamer and sighed. It would be a rough crossing.

"Those things will be the death of you." A voice said from the shadows. It was a voice she knew quite well. Turning she looked to the figure and laughed gently. "Should have known you'd find me." She said, her speech accented lightly. Planting a hand on her hip, cocking it just slightly, she rolled her eyes. "Come to see me off Albus?"

Stepping forward, he looked into her eyes, those mismatched pools of light and slowly shook his head. "No Cat." He said sadly. "I've come to stop you."

Still smiling, she looked to him and then slowly shook her head. "I have to do this Albus. It's...well, I feel the power drawing me. I can't resist it, and you know that well as I do."

"Bullshit." Albus spat out. "You can resist it. Bloody hell Cat, how many times have you resisted that damn call before? Ten, fifteen, hundreds? You've lived this long, why go toss the experience of lifetimes away to follow..."

She looked to him kindly, slowly stepping forward. Taking one of his hands she held it, and he squeezed it in return. "I don't have a choice Albus. Gellert..." She paused, looking at his old hand in her seemingly young one. "He knows."

"So what?" Albus said quickly, taking her hand in both of his and holding gently. "He knows you're more than you seem? What that you're a Valkyrie? Cat, that's nothing. Nothing at all, just stay and I promise we'll work something out. He'll just..."

"Use me." She said with a shrug. "I know it. Albus, for all you say, I'm not stupid. What do you think the Ministry would do if they found out? I mean really? I'll tell you. They'd toss me in some cell to study me, prod me, poke me, and try to brew a potion out of me. Then, there'd be those dark wizards who would seek to steal my life, such that it is. Gellert knows, but he won't tell."

"How can you be so certain?" Albus asked tartly. "He's a liar, trust me, I know that personally."

The ships horn sounded, and she looked back. Stepping from his grip, she smiled lopsidedly at him. "I have something he wants very badly Albus. Badly enough to keep his mouth shut. Besides, he's afraid of me." Turning she started walking before looking back, flashing a smile and showing a pair of sharp fangs in her mouth "Not unlike how rich men keep tigers around them. Goodbye Albus." With that, she headed up the gangplank. In time, the ship left. Albus watched it depart, and for several hours stood there on the dock. Eventually a small smile crossed his lips, his hand clutching the locket she'd pressed into his hands.

"God speed Valkyrie," he said with a smirk, and then gave a light salute as he turned to walk away.


	2. Chapter 1

Valkyrie: Chapter One.

Spring, 1939. Berlin.

Gellert Grindlewald, the new Fuhrer (as many were calling him) stood in the study of his palatial estate. He looked out on the land below him, surveying his domain. A glass of fine wine clasped in his hand. "For the greater good..." He mused idly, drawing a snort from his companion. Turning, he looked at the girl. To the world, she seemed to be the perfect, what was the word that moron Muggle called them...oh yes, perfect "aryan." Her long blonde hair worn in a simple natural cut, with one blue eye and one green sparkling beneath a fringe that tended to cover her green eye. Dressed in a uniform inspired by the muggle officers, though with a skirt in place of the pants, Catherine watched him.

"You do not believe me?" Grindlewald asked idly, shooting her a curious glance.

Catherine returned his gaze, cold and cruel. "Honestly? No. Gellert, were this all for the 'greater good' as you say to the papers, well suffice it to say you wouldn't need an army." Stretching slightly, she walked past him to pour herself a drink. "You wouldn't need me." She said over her shoulder.

Grindlewald watched her impassively, shaking his head slowly before going back to his view. Draining the glass, he placed his hands on the stone railing and leaned forward before standing upright and turning to her. "And yet, were it not for you, we'd not have come this far." He said dryly.

"Don't flatter me." She shot back.

Grindlewald felt anger brewing at her impudence, but reserved himself to tolerating her. Catherine had proven quite useful since her coming to join him. Her talents for weeding out dissenters had earned him the fear he needed to rule. That fear caused less by his own direct actions, he would often tell himself, and more by her. 'The Blonde Bitch of Berlin' the Daily Prophet called her. A title which though less than flattering, Catherine had taken to. She seemed to revel in the fear she caused. After a time he finally spoke. "Fine, we might have gotten this far, but it would have taken far longer. Now, things are starting to come together." He said slowly.

Catherine sipped her glass, walking over to look out over the city. "My contacts in the ministry inform me that Dumbledore has run into..." she paused, turning to look over at Grindlewald "trouble." Gellert turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow as he did. "What kind of trouble exactly?" He asked.

"Hard to say really, but Britain's not really spooling for a fight. The wizards aren't keen on hopping into another war caused by some distant wizard who they really don't have a reason to fear." She replied and then smirked. "It's made his finding supporters for his cause very difficult."

"He'll get them. Sooner or later." Gellert said dryly, moving over to stare down at his desk, straightening a few papers on it before taking a seat.

"More likely sooner than later." She said, turning to watch him. "That muggle's starting to rattle the sabre again..." She started and then paused. "Muggle term. Means he wants war." She added in a quick explanation. Gellert nodded slowly at this, leaning back in his chair. "How long do we have?" He asked finally.

Catherine shrugged, draining her glass and putting it aside. "Best guess? Couple months. If we're lucky. If he makes a big enough stink, then the Muggles are going to take notice. The only question is what we're going to do when that happens, not if." Gellert listened to her intently, and then nodded finally. "Then," he said with a glance to her "we best be ready. Send word to the others that I wish to speak with them."

Catherine looked to him and then nodded, not even bothering to do the traditional salute. If anything, she was the only one of his followers that dared not do it. Then again, considering the many things she did for him, it was understandable.

Summer. 1940. Nurmengard.

Catherine paced slowly, keeping just out of sight of the wizard tied to the table in the center of the room. She watched him, knowing his gaze followed her as she paced. Two of her personal guards, dressed in uniforms not unlike the muggle fuhrer's private guard watched impassively. Their faces stony and full of hate. The wizard had been here for several days, alternating between bouts of torture and questioning. Finally, he had given in. He started to talk, and tell his tale. Though none of that was what she wanted to hear. Reaching forward, she traced a gloved hand over his naked chest.

"Now, let's try this again Charles. Tell me what I want to hear. Who was it that sent you?" She asked, her tone sickly sweet.

The wizard coughed, struggling against his binding. Gasping softly, he whispered something, causing her to lean closer. "Water.." he whispered again and she nodded. Pointing at one of the guards, she barked a quick order and stepped back. Waiting for the guard to return and give the man something to drink to clear his parched throat. Once he had drunk his fill, she stepped close once more. "You've had your drink." She said coldly. "Now, just tell me who sent you, and I can make all this go away."

Closing his eyes slowly, the wizard seemed to slip into unconsciousness before he spoke slowly. "The valkyrie's tear sent me." He said finally. Catherine blinked at this, and then looked to the two guards. "Leave us, secure the door, and let none enter it." The men saluted her, turned on their heels and left. Looking down to the wizard, Catherine stepped close enough for the man to touch her, were he not tied down.

"What did you say?" She hissed, taking on a slight lisp as she did so.

"Was told to find..." he breathed deeply and then fought back the pain to speak "a spy within the ranks. Was told to say 'The valkyrie's tear' sent me."

Catherine stepped sharply back, reaching to run a gloved hand over her face before she began to curse. Reaching out she smacked the wall and then groaned before looking back. "On whose order?" She said suddenly. "Dumbledore?"

The wizard slowly shook his head before turning it to look at her. "No. Dumbledore protested it. Was sent by an Auror...I." he started, pausing as speaking was difficult for him. "I don't know his name. He's new."

Closing her eyes slowly, Catherine slowly shook her head before finally looking up at the man. "Any idea how he came to that information?"

"Why do you care?" The wizard asked. "Going to hunt someone down?"

"I damn well should." She retorted back at him, shaking her hand. "Now I have to get a bloody message out and you've just told me that the damn things are being intercepted..." Pacing further, she seemed beside herself. The wizard watched her with his one good eye before it seemed to dawn on him. "You..." he started, only to have her cut him short.

"Yes. It's a long story, and it's not one I can tell you." Catherine said finally. Looking to him, she groaned and then stared at the ceiling.

"What..." he asked, gasping "Are you going to do with me?"

Catherine didn't look at him for the longest time before finally her gaze turned to him. A tear had formed in her blue eye, and traced over her cheek. "You can't leave this room alive." She said finally. "We've worked so hard to get this close, and if you live..." Holding her hands out helplessly she just looked at him. The man smiled ever so faintly and then nodded. "I put you in danger." He finished for her, and she nodded sadly.

"I can make it quick..." she said finally. "But it won't be painless." Pulling a small vial from her pocket, she offered it to him. "Hold this in your mouth. Gellert will want to see you. When he enters, bite on this." The man looked to the vial and her. "Is it some kind of potion?" He asked finally, and she shook her head. "Cyanide. Fastest acting poison in the world. It's a muggle thing, but it'll kill you before anyone can stop it." The wizard looked to the small vial, then back to her. "Thank you." He said slowly, adding just before she tipped the vial into his mouth "And I'm sorry."

The man had just gotten the vial secreted into his mouth, when one of the guards knocked at the door. Walking over, Catherine opened it to find Grindlewald standing there waiting. A look of expectation on his face. Seeing the beaten wizard before him, he smirked as he looked to Catherine. "You do enjoy your work." He said coldly, stepping inside as he did. "Remind me never to get on your bad side." Catherine took up her usual position just beside Grindlewald and waited.

"So," Grindlewald said, looking to her. "Did our would be assassin have anything to say?"

"Nothing we didn't already know. Ministry sent him, but he doesn't know who sent him. Just that he had orders to kill you." She lied. "We've worked him over pretty good, now the only thing that remains is his public trial and eventual execution."

Gellert smiled darkly at those words, turning to look on the wizard once more. "Yes, he will make a fine specimen. The Ministry can't claim they're staying out of our affairs if we prove they sent this fellow in on an assassination mission." He said before looking to the wizard though his words were to her. "Can he speak?"

"Barely." Catherine said, stepping slightly to the side to keep both in view.

Grindlewald stepped forward, his cold gaze on the man. "So lap dog," he said coldly. "You were sent to kill me? You really believed you were strong enough for that?"

The wizard looked at him coldly and then slowly smiled. "You think I'm stupid enough to come alone?" He slurred. "We're like a Hydra. Kill one of us, and more take their place. My only regret is I won't get to see you hang." At that, he bit down suddenly on the vial. The poison worked its magic in seconds, his body tensing and foaming at the mouth before he fell dead.

Catherine rushed to his side, even as Grindlewald stepped back shocked. "What..." Grindlewald said slowly.

"Cyanide." Catherine said finally before looking back. "Bastard must have known you'd want to handle him personally if he held out." Looking Grindlewald right in the eyes, she pursed her lips. "You know what this means Gellert."

Grindlewald slowly nodded. "We have a leak." His gaze turning around the room before looking to the body. "A spy."

Catherine nodded slowly as Grindlewald turned to leave. "What about the body?" She asked. "Clean it up, and send it back to Britain. Send the message that he died a hero." He said finally. When she made no move he finally smiled faintly. "I mean it. Every word of it. Always remember that Catherine. We are not so blind to the world that we can't recognize the bravery that he had. To come here, to try to kill me, and then to defiantely take his own life to protect others? I may be many things, but a monster I am not."

"No." Catherine said after he left. "I'm the monster. You're just the one keeping me in check."


End file.
